On Wednesday the sounds of cheering and laughter could be heard from the 1,900 Delta School District students at Sungod Arena at the annual Battle of the Badges.
The Battle of the Badges is a hockey game between the Delta Police Department and Delta Fire Department and has been held annually here in Delta on Pink Shirt Day.
If you are not familiar with Pink Shirt Day, the day was created by a pair of Grade 12 students from Nova Scotia who wanted to show their support for a fellow student who had been the target of bullying at their school – in part – because the student wore a pink shirt.
So, these students wore pink shirts themselves and the day was born.
Pink Shirt Day has been recognized as a day of action since 2007.
The Battle of the Badges is a great event that gathers the school students and helps to reinforce the messages of anti-bullying, but as great as the game is and all of the efforts of our police, firefighters, school district and city officials, more action is needed.
There have now been 15 Pink Shirt Days and at least five Battle of the Badges hockey games. There is no question that awareness is high in the days before and on Pink Shirt Day, but what is happening the other 364 days of the year?
We need to find ways, collectively as a society, to do more than just talk about bullying and its effects on Pink Shirt Day.
We all need to think about how we all can be involved in the conversation every day. So, if you are a parent, talk to your children, engage with your schools and teachers, stand up to bullying in your workplace and in general, treat everyone with the respect that they deserve.
If we can view the idea of Pink Shirt Day as not just one day, but every day, we can put an end to bullying and instill great change for the future.
